Objectives  The hybrid carbon-glass fiber sandwich panel structure is an effective structural form for improving the bending stiffness and strength of marine composite laminates. In order to discuss the impact damage resistance and flexible layer surface-covering protection characteristics, an experimental investigation is carried out.

  Methods  The low-speed impact resistance of hybrid carbon-glass fiber sandwich panels, glass fiber laminates and hybrid carbon-glass fiber sandwich unilaterally coated rubber composite panels was compared using the drop hammer method. The analysis and further evaluation of the level of damage characteristics of the three types of panel were carried out using the first-order modal damping ratio.

  Results  The results show that under the same impact energy, the damaged area of the glass fiber laminate shows a regular truncated cone shape along the thickness direction, while the damaged area of the hybrid carbon-glass fiber sandwich panel is mainly characterized by more obvious interlayer stratification concentrated on the carbon fiber; the interlayer damaged area of the glass fiber laminate is generally smaller than that of the hybrid carbon-glass fiber sandwich panel; the first-order modal damping ratio of the hybrid carbon-glass fiber sandwich panel increases with the increase of the impact energy, while the effect is lower than that of the glass fiber laminate; and the protective effect of single-sided adhesive rubber on the hybrid carbon-glass fiber sandwich panel decreases with the increase of impact energy.

  Conclusions  This research on hybrid carbon-glass fiber sandwich panels can provide reliable support for their wide application in the field of ships.